The Heir's Quest
by F.M.Queen
Summary: AU. Endgame CaptainSwan. To prove she's the rightful heir to the kingdom Emma must undertake a quest. Neal -the Dark Prince- disguised as a knight wins the honor of being her champion and after a mishap on the road Killian, a pirate captain without a ship, agree to be their guide in return for Emma promising to help destroy his sister Milah's killer, Neal's father; the Dark One.
1. Chapter 1 - Heir

**A/N:** So this is my first Once Upon a Time fan fic. Because I really miss the show and just can't wait a whole month more to be back in the OUAT world. So this story is totally set in the magical world / Enchanted Forest, kind of a take on what life might have been like for Emma and the rest of the gang if there hadn't been a curse (maybe if Regina had talked to Robin that time in the tavern?). But I've also changed a lot of stuff, Neal / Emma/ Killian are younger, the magic is a bit different and of course the quest isn't cannon. But I'll hope you'll like it and hopefully recognize your favorite characters.

 **Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

 **Title:** _The Heir's Quest_

 **Summary** : To prove she's the rightful heir to the kingdom Princess Emma must undertake a quest. Baelfire - the Dark Prince - disguised as a knight wins the honor to be her champion and after a mishap on the road Killian, a pirate captain without a ship, agree to be their guide in return for Emma promising to help destroy his sister Milah's killer, Baelfire's father; the evil Dark One.

 **Ship** : Both SwanFire and CaptainSwan. But I'm on the Captain Swan boat so that will be endgame.

* * *

 **Chapter One - Heir**

Sometimes Emma felt like maybe she hadn't been meant to be a princess. She was a rather terrible dancer (her mom claimed this was because she'd yet to find the right partner), no good with small talk - and don't even get started on her lack of skills when it came to embroidery. Most of all she always felt like maybe there was something else she should be doing. Like fighting dragons or breaking curses or helping people who had no one to help them. Important stuff.

Instead she was getting ready to watch a tournament where all the knights from the kingdom, and some from the island nations, were competing for the honor to be her protector - her champion - on the quest she was meant to undertake right after her eighteenth birthday party just three days away.

The Quest was something each heir to the throne must do, to prove they were worthy to be King or Queen. Her mom had done it and her grandfather before that. It was a pretty easy thing really, not like the exciting quests Emma sometimes read about. In the throne room there was a large glass egg of sorts. Bigger than a chicken egg but not as big as a dragon's egg. Like a ostrich egg maybe. Emma had actually never seen either and ostrich or an ostrich egg but she'd read about them.

Anyway once the heir became of age he or she had to take the egg north, through the Enchanted Forest and to a hidden place called the Valley of Dreams. In the valley there was a lake with magical glowing water. The heir just had to submerge the egg in the water and if she was the rightful heir the egg would fill with the magical water and it would make the whole egg glow. The egg would continue to glow until the heir had a child of her own. Then the water would disappear until the next heir came of age and could go and refill the egg.

In the old days the heir would set out on his or her own with only one faithful champion - chosen in a tournament just like the one Emma was getting dressed for - but now days usually a whole procession of guards went along. Emma was pretty sure her parents were going to double it for her. Just because they could. And because Emma was both the heir and the spare, having no brothers or sisters, so nothing could happen to her or the Heir's Quest would be impossible to perform. Emma had asked once, when she was younger, just what would happen if she didn't manage to complete the quest. No one had been able to tell her but they all had said it wouldn't be anything good.

"Oh Honey, you look lovely," Emma's mom Mary Margaret said as she entered Emma's room, her ladies in waiting and a set of servants following behind her. Emma's handmaiden Ruby had just finished curling Emma's long blonde hair with a strange new magical device that made perfect curls without half burning up in the process.

"I did say the red dress would look lovely, didn't I?" Blue said. She was one of her mother's ladies in waiting along with the very pregnant Princess Ella of Esance. Emma's mother third lady in waiting was Lady Lucas whom most called Granny but she hadn't entered with Mary Margaret, probably not wanting to ascend the hundred steps that lead up to Emma's fabulous tower bedroom.

"Thanks Mom," Emma said, glad that Ruby was finally done with her and that her mom was finally there to escort her down to the tournament. Even though she thought the was sure with half the kingdom's soldiers going with her on the quest, she wasn't really going to need a champion. Besides even if the soldiers hadn't been coming along Emma was pretty good at taking care of herself, both her mom and dad had thought it was important that she learn to shoot a bow and to fight both with and without a sword.

"We got quite the turnout," Mary Margaret said, walking over to one of the tower's windows. Emma had been looking out through it herself in between Ruby beautifying her, watching the arena that had been built over the past few weeks fill with people. "Then again, it's not every year the winner gets such a price."

"Yeah, the price of riding through a magical forest with half a dozen guards and a princess," Emma said, trying not to sound moody. "What a treat."

"Half a dozen?" Mary Margaret said playfully, walking over to take Emma's arm. "How about two dozen."

"Great," Emma muttered as she let her mother lead her out of her room and down the many steps. The other women in the room following like chickens after their mother hen. "Just great."

* * *

Thoughts? Worth continuing?


	2. Chapter 2 - Happy Secret

**A/N** : Sorry this is kind of short. I've got another chapter coming tomorrow (hopefully) and I'm working on making it a little longer.

* * *

 **Chapter Two - Happy Secrets**

* * *

"I thought we were heading right down to the tournament?" Emma asked when Mary Margaret took them down a corridor that lead deeper into the castle.

"Your father and I wanted to talk to you about something first," she said, giving Emma a quick reassuring smile. "Don't worry we won't be late."

Talk to her about something? Emma tried to think what the Something could be and why they couldn't talk about it down by the tournament. Maybe it had to do with her party or birthday?

After a few minutes they got to a library where David was waiting in the doorway. Mary Margaret ordered the group of women following them to stay and Blue use magic to make sure no one could eavesdrop. Emma sometimes felt a strange tingling in her fingertips when she watched Blue perform magic, or when she went down to the wine cellar, closer to where her parents had the Dark One imprisoned.

Blue nodded and the royal family entered the small and cozy library. Emma had never been a book person and even though she understood that a lot of answers could be found in books she prefered to go out into the world and talk to people. The dusty volumes felt too dead to her.

"Please sit Emma," her mother said and nodded for Emma to sit n the chair opposite from a sofa. David and Mary Margaret sat on the sofa. "We have something we want to talk to you about. We were going to wait but we just want to share this with you."

"What's going on?" Emma asked. This sounded much too serious to be about her birthday.

"We're pregnant," Mary Margaret said, squeezing David's hand and smiling a huge smile.

"You are? Wow," Emma said not quite sure what to feel. Her parents had married young and had her shortly after but had never managed to have any more kids, making Emma the only heir to the kingdom. She knew they'd wanted more kids, a bigger family, but it had never happened. Not until now, almost twenty years after their wedding. Emma smiled. This was a good thing. "I'm so happy for you."

"Oh honey, " Mary Margaret said, getting up from the sofa. Emma stood to and they hugged. "I can't wait for you to find love and have a family of your own," her mother whispered.

Emma hugged Mary Margaret harder and wondered if true love was really what was missing from her life. Because it would probably either have to be true love and a family or adventure and fighting for what was right, wouldn't it?

* * *

Reviews make me happy :D :P


	3. Chapter 3 - Of Storms and Knights

**A/N** : Wanted to make a little apology. I wrote Captain _Snow_ as endgame in the summary (a lesson in not writing stuff when you'ere half asleep after work) but I of course meant Captain Swan! :D I've changed it now and it should be showing up like that. Just wanted to clear that up so there was no confusion!

First chapter with some pirate-y stuff mentioned and a mini Killian scene.

 **A/N 2** : I know nothing about real jousting or the rules, so don't take that bit too seriously :P

* * *

 **Chapter Three - Gossip and Storms**

* * *

"Hey," Ruby said, sitting down next to Emma in the special royal section of the tournament stands. "Did you hear? The was some big storm and rumor is there was several shipwrecks."

"Really?" Emma asked, glad for the distraction from the rather boring jousting match below. Neither one of the knights had manged any hits so far. "But the weather's been nice all week."

"Not further west." Ruby leaned closer to her. "Some say it's the Evil Queen regaining her powers."

"Who says?" Emma had learnt that it was best to verify Ruby's sources before taking her gossip too serious.

"The kitchen staff," Ruby said. "And Granny. She was the one that told 'em and she said she heard it from Blue."

"Why would Granny gossip to the kitchen staff?" Emma picked at a seam in the skirt of her dress, wishing for her riding outfit. It was so much more comfortable - and you could breath in it.

"You know how she likes to bake," Ruby said with a shrug. "Someone even said the Jolly Roger went under."

"The pirate ship?" Emma asked. She'd always found the thought of pirates both thrilling and scary and every fall when they traveled by boat from the Summer Palace to the Winter Palace she half feared, half wished they would be attacked by pirates.

"Duh, of course the pirate ship!"

"Neal of the Cassidonian Isles," a squire yelled, announcing the next set up to joust. "Riding against Lancelot." A roar went up for Lancelot while the two knights urged their horses towards the start area for the joust, on opposing sides of the arena.

"Oh Lance is up!" Ruby said excitedly and focused on the arena. Emma turned her focus there too, not wanting to get lost in thoughts of pirates.

"I've never heard of Cassidonian," Ella said behind Emma in the stands, talking to Mary Margaret and David.

"It's one of the islands farthest west, close to the Evil Queen's lands," Emma's father David answered. "Very nice beaches. It would be quite the holiday destination if it wasn't for..." No one needed him to say why. No one wanted to risk being any closer to the Evil Queen than they needed to. Even though she was sealed away by a magical barrier and had been since Emma was just a baby, people still feared her.

"I heard this Neal is a real hunk," Ruby whispered to Emma. "Totally drool worthy."

"You think everyone is drool worthy," Emma whispered back. "The important part is if he can joust."

"We're about to find out," Ruby said as the dwarf below the royal stands blew a horn signaling for the two opponents to begin riding towards each other.

The rules for jousting are pretty simple; if you break your lance's tip you get one point, if you break your tip and your opponent loses his shield you get two. If you manage to knock your opponent off his horse - a knock out - you get five points. There are three rounds, or two if someone manages a knock out.

Neal knocked Lancelot right out of his sadel. The crowed cheered for this unknown knight's victory. Emma raised an eyebrow, impressed, but also confused. She'd never seen Lancelot defeated in the first round.

"Wow," Ruby said. "Ouch for Lance though. Poor guy."

* * *

The same time, miles away, on the coast

* * *

"She looks mighty sad," Killian said, taking in his beloved ship. The Jolly Rodger had not fared well in the storm. Not at all.

"No worries. We'll fix her right up Captain," Smee said. "She'll be good as new once we're done with her."

"Well you get started on that," Killian said, not doubting Smee but dreading the months on land. Hating the delay in his quest for revenge. "I'll be at the tavern."

* * *

Want more of our favorite pirate? :D :P


	4. Chapter 4 - Champion

**A/N:** Boy I got lots of thing I should be doing. 1) First week of school - homework to do. 2) Writing my book - deadline next week. 3) Status of bedroom: Messy, haven't vacuumed in ages. 4) Preping food for lunch boxes - not even started planing a shopping list. So what am I doing with my time? Writing this fan fiction. That is just so me. I suck at prioritizing :P

* * *

 **Chapter Four - Champion**

* * *

 _*Emma*_

* * *

It was the tournament's third and final day. It was only five matches to be held today and the winner would be the champion joining the heir's quest. Out of the six remaining, she knew two from court and both were rather arrogant. The other three were knights from her Uncle James lands. She didn't particularly want one of those on her quest. Then there was Neal. She wasn't sure what to think of him. He'd won all five of his jousts the days before, three with knock outs. Emma thought that had to be a new record.

And according to the rumors Ruby was more than happy to supply Emma with, Sir Neal was only a few years older than them and, "he's eager to meet you once he wins."

" _If_ he wins you mean," Emma said, as she and Ruby were sitting down in their section of the stands.

"Well I suppose, but from what I heard, he said _once_ he wins," Ruby said.

Emma sighed. It seemed Neal was just another cocky overly-confident knight. Emma suddenly wished she could just go on her quest on her own. Wouldn't that be easier. One girl traveling to the Valley of Dreams rather than a whole slew of soldiers and a champion.

"Oh, it's starting," Ruby announced just as a dwarf below blew a horn to announce the game was starting.

The first one there was no deal. Two of her Uncle James knights faced off. Knock out. Impessive. Then it was Neal. He didn't quite manage a knockout but he won after two rounds. Two more rounds and then it was the finale.

Neal versus Sir Grond.

Before the last match was to start, both of the potential champions rode up to the royal section of the stands. They had their helmets off and as they came closer Emma had to admit Neal was cute. His hair was floppy and his eyes brown and nice. He made Emma think a little of a puppy.

While David wished the two knights the best of luck and invited them both to her birthday party later tonight, she looked at Neal. He saw her too. At first a little quick glance but then he focused on her.

"He's so cute," Ruby whispered in her ear and Emma felt herself blush as Neal kept looking at her. Then he winked and she had to turn away.

"May the best knight win," David said loudly above her and Ruby. Neal and Grond both turned to take their respective places.

Neal managed a knock out on the first try. The crowed cheered. Emma did too, even though she wasn't sure why. It shouldn't matter to here if it was neal or Grond that was her champion. Still she clapped and cheered with them all.

"I present to you," David said once the noise of the crowd went down some. "The Heir's Champion."

* * *

 _*Killian*_

* * *

The tavern was noisy and smokey, filled with thieves, pirates, whores and other odd folk. His favorite kind of place to be drunk. Tonight was his third or was it fourth night of drinking. His beloved Jolly Rodger was still laid up for repairs, would be for months. If that wasn't enough to drive a man to want to drink he wasn't sure what would be. In fact he was hoping to stay drunk for most of his time on land.

"Hello Killian," a voice he recognized said behind him.

"Cora," he said, before emptying his glass and turning to face her. "What a delightful surprise," he added with a healthy dose of irony.

Cora, even dressed as a peasant looked out of place in a place like this. Like a ruby on a beggar's finger. She sat on down across from him as regal as if she was in a room full of lords and ladies, looking with disdain at the spotty table and mugs of ale left by the patron that had occupied the table before Killian.

"Heard you had some trouble with your boat, Captain," she said, leaning forward.

"Ship," he corrected her. He narrowed his eyes. "Was it you that caused those storms?"

"You flatter me." Cora smiled "But no. Not even I can control the weather."

He wasn't one hundred percent sure he believed her. He also knew there was nothing he could do about it, even if it had been she that had caused the storm. That didn't mean he couldn't fantasize about strangling her. Slowly.

"Alright then," he said, suddenly very sorry he'd drunk the last of his rum. He considered trying to draw the attention of the busty serving wench but decided against it. He needed his wits when dealing with Cora and so it was better to pause his drinking until the witch was gone.

"I have a job for you," she said. "Since you seem to be temporarily unemployed. Unless you're going to attempt to be a pirate on dry land?"

"I'm a pirate not some bandit," he said, rolling one off his rings around distractedly.

"Good," she said. "Tomorrow the princess is setting out with a party of soldiers on the Heir's Quest."

"Mmm, what's it to you?" he asked. He was in fact aware of the quest. He'd thought he might somehow have been able to use it to break into the castle to get at the Dark One. But he had no way of killing the Crocodile just yet and besides, during the princess birthday party security was bound to be even tighter than usual.

"The egg the party will be carrying. It's a powerful magic. Powerful enough to take down the barrier and reunite me with my daughter," Cora said.

"And all the powerful magic books and objects in the Dark Tower?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"You know me too well Killian." Cora smiled again.

"So you want me to steal this egg?" Killian asked.

"Not quite," she said. "I want you to help the princess and then once the egg has been refilled with magic, then and only then I want you to take it."

Killian considered. "What's in it for me?"

"There is a magic in the Dark Tower that can enchant a weapon to kill anything." There was a smugness to her words Killian didn't like. "Even a Dark One."

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:D Like?


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